Nadine Labaki and Rami Malek are among celebrity guests attending the celebrations for International Women's Day at Expo 2020 Dubai. Getty Images
Nadine Labaki and Rami Malek are among celebrity guests attending the celebrations for International Women's Day at Expo 2020 Dubai. Getty Images
Nadine Labaki and Rami Malek are among celebrity guests attending the celebrations for International Women's Day at Expo 2020 Dubai. Getty Images
Nadine Labaki and Rami Malek are among celebrity guests attending the celebrations for International Women's Day at Expo 2020 Dubai. Getty Images

Nadine Labaki and Rami Malek at Expo 2020 International Women's Day events


Sophie Prideaux
  • English
  • Arabic

Expo 2020 Dubai will mark International Women’s Day on Tuesday. Three days of events — from March 6 to 8 — under the 2022 theme of Break The Bias are taking place.

The events explore different perspectives to tackle the “invisible barriers holding women back in politics, business and culture”, organisers said, while also celebrating those already breaking the bias.

“The world continues to face extraordinary challenges, and it is clear that these issues cannot be solved without half the global population having a seat at the table,” said Reem Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State for International Co-operation and Director General, Expo 2020 Dubai. “We must tackle stereotypes, cultural and societal norms that create bias against women and hinder their ability to contribute — a change that cannot be achieved by one policy or actor alone.

“On International Women’s Day, we celebrate the women who have broken the mould across sectors and the men who have championed them. We welcome the world to Expo 2020 Dubai to learn how each of us can create an enabling environment for women, one that will ultimately secure a brighter future for all humanity.”

On Sunday, the Middle East’s first female-led music festival, We, The Women, was held at Festival Garden, bringing together international artists from diverse backgrounds, including Alo Wala, Natacha Atlas and Dina El Wedidi.

Souad Massi performs as part of the We, The Women concert at Expo 2020 Dubai. Victor Besa for The National
Souad Massi performs as part of the We, The Women concert at Expo 2020 Dubai. Victor Besa for The National

Here are some other events to look out for:

Break the Bias Assembly

Starting proceedings on International Women’s Day will be the Break the Bias Assembly, which will feature government leaders and diplomats from the UAE, Switzerland and Paraguay discussing the 2022 edition of the Women in Diplomacy Index, as well as a talk by Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley, chief diversity and inclusion officer of the US State Department.

There will also be a discussion by women shaping the world of business, who will discuss overcoming barriers in all industries. Participants include Laura Lane, chief corporate affairs officer, UPS and Sabine Holl, IBM vice president technical sales and chief technology officer for Middle East and Africa.

March 8; 9am-1pm; Hall 2A South, Dubai Exhibition Centre

Break the Bias Forum

Curated by the Women’s Pavilion in collaboration with French luxury goods company Cartier, the Break the Bias Forum will feature a talk from the UAE’s first female minister, Sheikha Lubna bint Khalid bin Sultan Al Qasimi, former UAE Minister of State for Tolerance, who will share her experiences.

The afternoon will also host the Redefining the Future for Women session, featuring leaders and policymakers across cultures and sectors, including Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister of Bangladesh; Dr Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the UAE President; and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, director general, World Trade Organisation.

The forum will also feature a group of celebrities, including Lebanese actress, director and activist Nadine Labaki, who will read aloud letters written to the next generation of girls inviting them to take their rightful place in society to drive gender equality forward.

March 8; 1pm-6pm; Hall 1B South, Dubai Exhibition Centre

Walking Through (Her)Story

Explore the central role women have played in the development of societies around the world with a self-guided walking tour leading up to International Women’s Day.

Starting out at the Women’s Pavilion, visitors will be able to explore how women have contributed to empowerment and gender equality through history.

The tour will then take visitors to the Benin Pavilion to learn about women kingdom-builders, before heading to the Bangladesh Pavilion, where a showcase explains the country’s success in women’s empowerment.

Next, visitors will swing by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation Pavilion, which highlights unity in diversity and women’s central role in the Islamic way of life, before ending at the African Union Pavilion, where visitors can listen to the stories of African women and their contributions to the development of the continent.

The self-guided Walking Through (Her)Story visitor journey is accessible via the Expo 2020 Dubai app.

Until March 8; 10am-10pm; starting at Women’s Pavilion

Al Wasl Dome Ceremony

The ceremony, organised by Cartier, will round off the day’s celebrations, attempting to answer the question: What makes a better world? The evening will feature a guest appearance from Oscar-winning actor Rami Malek, alongside performances from slam poet Emi Mahmoud, and the orchestra of renowned composer Thomas Roussel. There will also be dance and gospel music performances.

March 8; 8pm-8.45pm; Al Wasl Dome

The Intruder

Director: Deon Taylor

Starring: Dennis Quaid, Michael Ealy, Meagan Good

One star

Match info:

Portugal 1
Ronaldo (4')

Morocco 0

Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

Who's who in Yemen conflict

Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government

Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council

Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south

Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory

MATCH INFO

Red Star Belgrade v Tottenham Hotspur, midnight (Thursday), UAE

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FIXTURES

All kick-off times 10.45pm UAE ( 4 GMT) unless stated

Tuesday
Sevilla v Maribor
Spartak Moscow v Liverpool
Manchester City v Shakhtar Donetsk
Napoli v Feyenoord
Besiktas v RB Leipzig
Monaco v Porto
Apoel Nicosia v Tottenham Hotspur
Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid

Wednesday
Basel v Benfica
CSKA Moscow Manchester United
Paris Saint-Germain v Bayern Munich
Anderlecht v Celtic
Qarabag v Roma (8pm)
Atletico Madrid v Chelsea
Juventus v Olympiakos
Sporting Lisbon v Barcelona

Liz%20Truss
%3Cp%3EMinisterial%20experience%3A%20Current%20Foreign%20Secretary.%0D%3Cbr%3E%0DWhat%20did%20she%20do%20before%20politics%3F%20Worked%20as%20an%20economist%20for%20Shell%20and%20Cable%20and%20Wireless%20and%20was%20then%20a%20deputy%20director%20for%20right-of-centre%20think%20tank%20Reform.%0D%3Cbr%3E%0DWhat%20does%20she%20say%20on%20tax%3F%20She%20has%20pledged%20to%20%22start%20cutting%20taxes%20from%20day%20one%22%2C%20reversing%20April's%20rise%20in%20National%20Insurance%20and%20promising%20to%20keep%20%22corporation%20tax%20competitive%22.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
RESULT

Al Hilal 4 Persepolis 0
Khribin (31', 54', 89'), Al Shahrani 40'
Red card: Otayf (Al Hilal, 49')

How to keep control of your emotions

If your investment decisions are being dictated by emotions such as fear, greed, hope, frustration and boredom, it is time for a rethink, Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at online trading platform IG, says.

Greed

Greedy investors trade beyond their means, open more positions than usual or hold on to positions too long to chase an even greater gain. “All too often, they incur a heavy loss and may even wipe out the profit already made.

Tip: Ignore the short-term hype, noise and froth and invest for the long-term plan, based on sound fundamentals.

Fear

The risk of making a loss can cloud decision-making. “This can cause you to close out a position too early, or miss out on a profit by being too afraid to open a trade,” he says.

Tip: Start with a plan, and stick to it. For added security, consider placing stops to reduce any losses and limits to lock in profits.

Hope

While all traders need hope to start trading, excessive optimism can backfire. Too many traders hold on to a losing trade because they believe that it will reverse its trend and become profitable.

Tip: Set realistic goals. Be happy with what you have earned, rather than frustrated by what you could have earned.

Frustration

Traders can get annoyed when the markets have behaved in unexpected ways and generates losses or fails to deliver anticipated gains.

Tip: Accept in advance that asset price movements are completely unpredictable and you will suffer losses at some point. These can be managed, say, by attaching stops and limits to your trades.

Boredom

Too many investors buy and sell because they want something to do. They are trading as entertainment, rather than in the hope of making money. As well as making bad decisions, the extra dealing charges eat into returns.

Tip: Open an online demo account and get your thrills without risking real money.

Electric scooters: some rules to remember
  • Riders must be 14-years-old or over
  • Wear a protective helmet
  • Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
  • Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
  • Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
  • Do not drive outside designated lanes
The specs: 2018 Nissan Altima


Price, base / as tested: Dh78,000 / Dh97,650

Engine: 2.5-litre in-line four-cylinder

Power: 182hp @ 6,000rpm

Torque: 244Nm @ 4,000rpm

Transmission: Continuously variable tranmission

Fuel consumption, combined: 7.6L / 100km

Groom and Two Brides

Director: Elie Semaan

Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla

Rating: 3/5

Key fixtures from January 5-7

Watford v Bristol City

Liverpool v Everton

Brighton v Crystal Palace

Bournemouth v AFC Fylde or Wigan

Coventry v Stoke City

Nottingham Forest v Arsenal

Manchester United v Derby

Forest Green or Exeter v West Brom

Tottenham v AFC Wimbledon

Fleetwood or Hereford v Leicester City

Manchester City v Burnley

Shrewsbury v West Ham United

Wolves v Swansea City

Newcastle United v Luton Town

Fulham v Southampton

Norwich City v Chelsea

Indoor Cricket World Cup

Venue Insportz, Dubai, September 16-23

UAE squad Saqib Nazir (captain), Aaqib Malik, Fahad Al Hashmi, Isuru Umesh, Nadir Hussain, Sachin Talwar, Nashwan Nasir, Prashath Kumara, Ramveer Rai, Sameer Nayyak, Umar Shah, Vikrant Shetty

Our legal consultant

Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

The biog

Prefers vegetables and fish to meat and would choose salad over pizza

Walks daily as part of regular exercise routine 

France is her favourite country to visit

Has written books and manuals on women’s education, first aid and health for the family

Family: Husband, three sons and a daughter

Fathiya Nadhari's instructions to her children was to give back to the country

The children worked as young volunteers in social, education and health campaigns

Her motto is to never stop working for the country

Pieces of Her

Stars: Toni Collette, Bella Heathcote, David Wenham, Omari Hardwick   

Director: Minkie Spiro

Rating:2/5

Dengue%20fever%20symptoms
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Updated: March 07, 2022, 1:38 PM